Toxic Behavior Parents Are Not Aware Of

Parents always try to educate their children in the best possible way. But sometimes they do not know that their otherwise well-meaning behavior can actually be toxic. They do not know that they sometimes do more harm than good. That’s what we’ll be focusing on in this article. We hope that with this article you gain greater self-awareness and learn to recognize toxic behavior when you see it.

Toxic behavior in parents

Good intentions are not always enough. Parents need to be critical of themselves and know how to identify toxic behaviors that may affect their children.

Toxic behavior can affect children’s self-esteem, which can lead to serious problems in their future.

There is no one out there who will hold you accountable for your behavior. Therefore, it is important that you learn to understand yourself and the way you treat your children so that you can change any toxic behavior and give your children the best possible upbringing.

Here are 7 types of toxic behaviors that you as a parent need to keep an eye on. If you find that you are doing one of these seven things, you should try to change it.

1. You are very critical

It can be difficult to see for yourself how critical you really are of children. It can be nice to correct one’s children once in a while and help them grow by giving them good advice. But it’s a bad idea to criticize them all the time.

Constant criticism or scolding can feed a child’s insecurity and make him constantly doubt himself and feel that he is not doing well enough. Children usually always try as hard as they can to do things well. If their parents keep criticizing them, correcting them or scolding them, they may start to think that they are just incompetent and worthless.

2. You punish them for negative emotions

We often distinguish between positive and negative emotions. Even though many negative emotions are actually positive. For example, fear can save lives, while grief is necessary to overcome difficult situations.

You will therefore need to let your child express his / her feelings. Allow them to be angry, upset or depressed. Let them cry or shout without scolding them. If you teach your child to suppress his emotions, he will learn that emotions are a bad thing and will have a hard time understanding them and controlling them later. Your child should not be ashamed of being a human being.

You make decisions on their behalf

Children are children, but that does not mean they do not have their own opinion or voice. There are certain decisions that parents will have to take part in, but at other times… it is not necessary!

Let your children make the decisions they are capable of. This will boost their confidence and will teach them to weigh the consequences against benefits in the future.

4. You scare them

Children need to live in a safe, secure environment. Not a place where they have to be scared all the time. Children need to make mistakes, to explore and experience life.

If they are scared, they become insecure and fearful people. Adults can be incredibly intimidating to a child. Do not shout, threaten, push or hit. Let them know you would never hurt them, no matter what happens.

5. It’s not their fault

Sometimes parents let their frustrations go beyond their children. It makes them feel responsible for things for which they really have no responsibility at all.

Do not load your own complicated life onto your child. Children have the right to a childhood. They should not carry the responsibility of the adults on their shoulders.

6. Love is unconditional

F orældres love for their children should be entirely unconditional. It should not depend on the success of the children or how they behave.

This will only make them feel that they do not deserve to be loved. And this feeling they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

7. You do not set boundaries

Many well-meaning parents mistakenly believe that they are doing their children a favor by letting them behave the way they want. That’s a big mistake. Children need boundaries that make them feel safe while exploring the world. They need to learn the social rules we all have to follow. Children who live without boundaries never learn to understand boundaries in the real world. It is harmful both to them and to those around them.

Boundaries are positive. Without them, children cannot develop in safety and security. Without them, they cannot learn what it is like to be part of a social world.

If you as a parent have been able to nod to some of these toxic behaviors, it is important that you change this behavior and never repeat it again.

You are developing people to live in this world and connect with other people. Not a single one of the above things makes their lives easier.

So let’s start today with removing these kinds of toxic behaviors.